Biden versus Palin: The tech debate

By eSchool News

October 3rd, 2008

PC Magazine ran a story yesterday in advance of the vice presidential debate, looking at both candidates’ records on technology issues–and the publication noted that as governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin has vetoed numerous school technology initiatives. With more than 30 years experience in the Senate, Biden has obviously had the opportunity to touch on more technology issues than Palin. He has positioned himself as an advocate for children’s internet safety and combating web predators, while also drawing fire for some controversial stances on piracy and copyright issues. Palin, meanwhile, has been at the helm of a state not exactly ripe with technology issues. As governor, and not a member of the legislature, her experience appears to be limited to evaluating tech-related projects included in the state budget, and vetoing or approving tech-related bills. She has signed a few tech measures into law, but her most notable contribution might be the numerous vetoes this year for school technology projects. Many of the cuts were reserved for e-learning initiatives. Though John McCain’s technology policy statement says that "our children cannot count on a good education without high-speed internet access," school technology programs took a hit, according to Palin’s budget veto spreadsheet. Of the 360 vetoed items, at least 43 were e-learning initiatives. Palin opted to cut about $2.2 million in funding for things like LCD projectors, security system upgrades, educational software, software licenses, laptops for teachers, equipment upgrades, computer labs, and interactive whiteboards. The governor also cut funding from $5 million to $2.5 million for the Alaska Consortium for Digital Learning, which had planned to use the money for phase two of a student laptop program…